# Spacing around \left and \right

Why does the addition of a \left and \right introduces an extra space around the formula? Specifically, why do $\cos(\theta)$ and $\cos\left(\theta\right)$ render differently?

Is there a way to use resizable delimiters without introducing the spurious spaces?

Why did Knuth design it like this?

Edit: This occurs too, if \operatorname{MYOP} or some other operator, like \lim, \min etc. is used. (This edit is basically to make it easier to find this answer.)

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Yes, this is infuriating... Prevents me making a single command for Big-Oh notation that can handle both simple and tall formulae. How on earth was this overlooked??? –  j_random_hacker Oct 26 '10 at 23:16

I've found an answer in a usenet post by Heiko Oberdiek and another by Donald Arseneau. Improved code thanks to shiznick.

The issue is that \left and \right introduces an inner atom (see The TeXbook, chapter 18, section 4), which has different spacing rules than ordinary atoms, produced by ( and ) (and the other delimiters).

To remove this spurious spacing, one has to manually insert opening and closing atoms in the formula. Specifically, $\cos(\theta)$ and $\cos\mathopen{}\left(\theta\right)\mathclose{}$ render exactly the same.

However, inserting it does make your formulas ugly. So a good solution would be to just redefine \left and \right:

\let\originalleft\left
\let\originalright\right
\renewcommand{\left}{\mathopen{}\mathclose\bgroup\originalleft}
\renewcommand{\right}{\aftergroup\egroup\originalright}


Incidentally, this code also fixes the spacing of |, that is very fragile. Check for example $|+x|$ and $\left|+x\right|$. Also $\cos|\theta|$ and $\cos\left|\theta\right|$. This is due to the fact that both delimiters are equal, and TeX doesn't know if they're opening or closing the expression. The same logic applies to \|.

EDIT: The old code had a problem with subscripts and superscripts: they didn't accompany the growth of the delimiters. Fixed now thanks to Philipp Stephani and Heiko Oberdiek.

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Can you give an example of where \right)\mathclose{} gives you better spacing? I don't see the application here. –  Will Robertson Sep 2 '10 at 1:13
Of course! The line where I first noticed the bug: $\ket{\psi} = \alpha \ket{0} + \beta \ket{1},$ the \ket macro is \newcommand{\ket}[1]{\left| #1 \right\rangle} which was giving too much space between the \rangle and the comma. Also, this question: tex.stackexchange.com/q/2401/1035 –  Mateus Araújo Sep 2 '10 at 2:37
As result of the newsgroup thread I had written package mleftright. It also adds some error checks (group nesting levels). –  Heiko Oberdiek Aug 5 '12 at 17:05
What about $y=\mleft[x^2\mright],$ vs. $y=[x^2],$? Why is there a difference? –  neo Feb 22 '13 at 21:17
@neo - it's (generally) better to post a query as a new question rather than as a comment to an answer, especially if it's been a while since that answer was posted. By posting a new question (preferably together with a full MWE), you assure yourself that a large group of people will see your posting. Incidentally, it's preferable to keep the comma outside the math material -- unless it really is part of a math expression. –  Mico Mar 1 '13 at 11:11

The package mathtools has implemented a general solution for that problem. It defines the command \DeclarePairedDelimiter that you can use as follows: \DeclarePairedDelimiter\parentheses{\lparen}{\rparen}.

With this single declaration you have a new powerful command for several cases:

• \parentheses{x} just replaces $(x)$
• \parentheses*{x} will do the right thing with \left and \right (same result as the answer of Mateus Araújo)
• \parentheses[\big]{x} which replaces $\bigr(x\bigl)$ (all the size commands work)
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The following code fixes both \left and \right -- put it in the preamble:

\let\originalleft\left
\let\originalright\right
\def\left#1{\mathopen{}\originalleft#1}
\def\right#1{\originalright#1\mathclose{}}


I haven't tested it in all scenarios, of course, but I added it to the preamble of my entire Ph.D. dissertation, and it worked without errors and without any additional modifications to the code.

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It makes me somewhat nervous to use macros to mess around with delimiters; they have their own unfathomable rules of spacing. The simpler, the better. But I liked your idea of actually fixing \left and \right instead of just defining new commands. –  Mateus Araújo Sep 1 '10 at 3:46
It makes me nervous, too. I think this is about as simple as it's going to get (although I'm happy to be proven wrong). The fact that such a long and complicated 200-page document TeX'ed without incident with these changes (and no others) gives me hope that they are minimal and robust. –  shiznick Sep 1 '10 at 4:29
Well, I do consider mine simpler (to the TeX engine). But I did some non-trivial experiments with yours and couldn't find an error. –  Mateus Araújo Sep 1 '10 at 5:52
Okay, I have an error (again due to Arseneau): $\left \delimiter "4266308 8,9\right \delimiter "5267309$ Its not an spacing error: your macro fails to realise that \delimiter "5267309 is actually just one character. –  Mateus Araújo Sep 1 '10 at 12:42
Yup. Agreed. The code you posted works where this code fails, and semantically it probably is better. (I now know about \aftergroup! :) On the other hand, you made improvements to that code based on the code I posted here and didn't mention this fact in your revisions. I'm happy to work toward the same goal of improving the code, but a short line like "(Thanks to shiznick for the suggestion of using \let.)" really goes a long way. It might even earn you another uptick... –  shiznick Sep 1 '10 at 15:36

"As result of the newsgroup thread", which was mentioned in Mateus Araújo' answer, Heiko Oberdiek wrote the mleftright package. "It also adds some error checks (group nesting levels)." (both cited from Heiko's comment to Mateus Araújo' answer)

\mleft and \mright from that package can be used instead of \left and \right and do not insert additional space.

When additional space shall not be used, also \left. and \right. should be looked at (see What does \right. do?). To get rid of the additional space there
\left.\kern-\nulldelimiterspace and \right.\kern-\nulldelimiterspace can be used (probably best by defining those as new commands and using those).

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